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TN:2006 Egon Müller-Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling AusleseAuction AP 11-07 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/16/2008)TN: 2006 Egon Müller-Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese VDP Versteigerungswein AP 3 567 142 11-07, 7.5 pabv; estimated U.S. retail value $279/375 ml; total of 300 bottles (225 liters) produced; number of bottles imported into the USA is unknown. Auction price before fees and expenses was €67.50/375 ml (US$101.25) or €135/750 ml (US$202.50). I purchased one and Herr Müller agreed to let me have it as two half-bottles which were more convenient for my use. They came back as Flaschen nr 83 and 84. Exporter: J & H Selbach, Zeltingen a.d. Mosel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Importer: Ewald Moseler Selections/Mitchell Wines LLC. This will be the taste of the samples poured at the auction in the Eurohalle, Trier, Germany. I'll also add notes for the Spätlese, the Goldkap Auslese, and the Eiswein from the same producer, vintage and vineyard. Tasting note at auction pre-tasting and at time of sale, notes condensed: Positive copper color; somewhat sticky texture. Nose is very reserved and dumb, showing only a little peach or mango, but this is not unusual in a young wine of this maker, vintage, and style. In contrast, the palate shows a very finely etched minty minerality that seems to bely the texture–sips slip down the throat almost of themselves. There are white-wine tannins here but they’re showing themselves very discretely at this point, probably hidden in amongst the fruit and ripe acidity, of which one was almost unconscious. The predominant note of that is a very restrained and elegant peach. The finish is playful, almost flirtatious–a very unusual side to the Scharzhof berg and Egon Müller that is new to me. Many of my fellow tasters were unhappy with this wine and thought it one of the house’s lesser showings in recent years. Charmed by it, I disagreed to the extent of opening my wallet. I scored it 93-95, with no idea where it might come to rest in that range. It will be nearly immortal, and should be left alone for 15-25 years (2020-2030 or thereabouts.)The Scharzhofberger Spätlese [€60/750 ml (US$90; note that DeeVineWine brought this in at what is actually a fairly reasonable $160 per 750 ml)] was very green in color, with a mint-currant nose, and a fine, racy, peach-currant-mint, with a powerful gripping acidity kicking in on the finish. Obviously young and disjointed, and hard to judge, yet this may have been where the bang for the buck ratio came to rest, call it 89-91/100, given how heated the prices later proved in the face of a tough vintage to judge. The Scharzhofberger Goldkap Auslese [(60 bottles at €500 (US$750 before fees/expenses); 45 liters available as magnums also up to six at €1005(US$1502.50), and the same volume as half-bottles at €260 (US$390) –total yield 120 bottles, 90 liters], was much more closed at this tasting, and showed some additional complexity in hints of strawberry herbaceousness and touches of wood-smoke, earth, and old books. A stylistically unusual and perhaps problematic wine, but it’s very, very young yet and really was more a cask sample than a real commercial sample, so I’ll withhold my opinion for now, but if it gets together it may gain a very high score. The price garnered given its performance, and an opening price of a hundred Euros a bottle, was simply amazing. The Scharzhofberger Eiswein, [of which eighteen bottles at €1150 (US$1725) and 24 halves that went for an astonishing €700 (US$950), for a total bottle equivalent of 30 bottles or a mere 22.5 liters in all], was, like the Spätlese, a little more together, but still not far out of the fermentation phase. There was still a gold-brown haze in it, but little ‘Eiswein’ winter air and radishes disturbed the apple-flower scents that gave way to mango and tea, with a powerful minerality and slick acidity to its really 'sticky' texture. This seemed to be an exceptionally ‘clean’ Eiswein, with little evidence of any kind of rot, noble or otherwise, and for the lucky lady or gentleman that will enjoy sipping on it at an estimated US retail of about $1650 per half--although I don’t know if any actually came in, because there were those (more than one) who were trying to buy it all, regardless of price, and Johannes Selbach and his friends who were the auction brokers had to step in to avoid a market that went up and up forever, and the prices you see was where they simply decided to stop the craziness--will be enjoying a wine that costs $55 a mouthful. Is Egon Müller-Scharzhof Eiswein worth ten times or more what, say, the regular Eiswein from St-Urbans-Hof sells for? The buyer must be the judge, but it’s hard to justify in a world such as ours. It was worth the cost of flying to Germany, though, I’d state unequivocally, to taste some of these special wines. (95-97 points; a 'clean' Eiswein like this might age quite indefinitely in my opinion. Let it get together for five years and drink it over the next thirty, say.)Auslese--(93 pts.)

Member Reviews for Egon Müller Riesling Qba Scharzhof

TN:2006 Egon Müller-Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling AusleseAuction AP 11-07 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/16/2008)TN: 2006 Egon Müller-Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese VDP Versteigerungswein AP 3 567 142 11-07, 7.5 pabv; estimated U.S. retail value $279/375 ml; total of 300 bottles (225 liters) produced; number of bottles imported into the USA is unknown. Auction price before fees and expenses was €67.50/375 ml (US$101.25) or €135/750 ml (US$202.50). I purchased one and Herr Müller agreed to let me have it as two half-bottles which were more convenient for my use. They came back as Flaschen nr 83 and 84. Exporter: J & H Selbach, Zeltingen a.d. Mosel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Importer: Ewald Moseler Selections/Mitchell Wines LLC. This will be the taste of the samples poured at the auction in the Eurohalle, Trier, Germany. I'll also add notes for the Spätlese, the Goldkap Auslese, and the Eiswein from the same producer, vintage and vineyard. Tasting note at auction pre-tasting and at time of sale, notes condensed: Positive copper color; somewhat sticky texture. Nose is very reserved and dumb, showing only a little peach or mango, but this is not unusual in a young wine of this maker, vintage, and style. In contrast, the palate shows a very finely etched minty minerality that seems to bely the texture–sips slip down the throat almost of themselves. There are white-wine tannins here but they’re showing themselves very discretely at this point, probably hidden in amongst the fruit and ripe acidity, of which one was almost unconscious. The predominant note of that is a very restrained and elegant peach. The finish is playful, almost flirtatious–a very unusual side to the Scharzhof berg and Egon Müller that is new to me. Many of my fellow tasters were unhappy with this wine and thought it one of the house’s lesser showings in recent years. Charmed by it, I disagreed to the extent of opening my wallet. I scored it 93-95, with no idea where it might come to rest in that range. It will be nearly immortal, and should be left alone for 15-25 years (2020-2030 or thereabouts.)The Scharzhofberger Spätlese [€60/750 ml (US$90; note that DeeVineWine brought this in at what is actually a fairly reasonable $160 per 750 ml)] was very green in color, with a mint-currant nose, and a fine, racy, peach-currant-mint, with a powerful gripping acidity kicking in on the finish. Obviously young and disjointed, and hard to judge, yet this may have been where the bang for the buck ratio came to rest, call it 89-91/100, given how heated the prices later proved in the face of a tough vintage to judge. The Scharzhofberger Goldkap Auslese [(60 bottles at €500 (US$750 before fees/expenses); 45 liters available as magnums also up to six at €1005(US$1502.50), and the same volume as half-bottles at €260 (US$390) –total yield 120 bottles, 90 liters], was much more closed at this tasting, and showed some additional complexity in hints of strawberry herbaceousness and touches of wood-smoke, earth, and old books. A stylistically unusual and perhaps problematic wine, but it’s very, very young yet and really was more a cask sample than a real commercial sample, so I’ll withhold my opinion for now, but if it gets together it may gain a very high score. The price garnered given its performance, and an opening price of a hundred Euros a bottle, was simply amazing. The Scharzhofberger Eiswein, [of which eighteen bottles at €1150 (US$1725) and 24 halves that went for an astonishing €700 (US$950), for a total bottle equivalent of 30 bottles or a mere 22.5 liters in all], was, like the Spätlese, a little more together, but still not far out of the fermentation phase. There was still a gold-brown haze in it, but little ‘Eiswein’ winter air and radishes disturbed the apple-flower scents that gave way to mango and tea, with a powerful minerality and slick acidity to its really 'sticky' texture. This seemed to be an exceptionally ‘clean’ Eiswein, with little evidence of any kind of rot, noble or otherwise, and for the lucky lady or gentleman that will enjoy sipping on it at an estimated US retail of about $1650 per half--although I don’t know if any actually came in, because there were those (more than one) who were trying to buy it all, regardless of price, and Johannes Selbach and his friends who were the auction brokers had to step in to avoid a market that went up and up forever, and the prices you see was where they simply decided to stop the craziness--will be enjoying a wine that costs $55 a mouthful. Is Egon Müller-Scharzhof Eiswein worth ten times or more what, say, the regular Eiswein from St-Urbans-Hof sells for? The buyer must be the judge, but it’s hard to justify in a world such as ours. It was worth the cost of flying to Germany, though, I’d state unequivocally, to taste some of these special wines. (95-97 points; a 'clean' Eiswein like this might age quite indefinitely in my opinion. Let it get together for five years and drink it over the next thirty, say.)Auslese--(93 pts.)